Dermocystidium sp. infection in farmed striped catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus farmed in Ceará state, Northeastern Brazil

Abstract The genus Dermocystidium infects a wide range of animals. The host infection often occurs through the ingestion of endospores. The diagnosis depends on wet mounts and histopathological analysis of the affected tissue. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of Dermocystidium sp. infection on the skin of farmed striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) from a fish farm located in Fortaleza, Ceará state, northeastern Brazil. From these observations, we determined that 100% of the analyzed animals were infected with Dermocystidium sp. The wet mount and histopathology of the fish lesions revealed spore-filled cysts between the dermis and epidermis, encapsulated by connective tissue. Owing to a lack of research on the parasite and its prevalence among different fish species in Brazil and the rest of the world, additional studies are required to understand their endemicity in fish farms of Brazil, and consequently develop better disease prevention methods and increase the overall productivity.